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Zeke
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12/01/2009
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21:56
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Any military veterans on this forum that served in the Army, Navy, Airforce or Marines, care to talk about your time in the service of your country? Might make for some interesting discussion.
I was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1967, six months after graduating from high school. The war in Vietnam was full blown at that time and I was shipped over there where I spent a full tour, (12 months of duty), with the U.S. Army 25th Infantry, in a rifle platoon.
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HerbSG
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Posted - 23/01/2009 : 15:31
Thomo, (changing into civvies) that is the most disgusting thing that I have ever heard. Are the "powers" that be so ashamed of the troops, or so embarressed about the role in Afwotsit? Or are the people making these decisions these days "brothers" of the other side that it makes decision making skewed? If people can keep their faces covered at passport control or the election booth why can't service men/women wear uniforms in public, the same uniform they wear when risking their lives?
This issue makes me think of my reaction when reading my father's demob papers, dated Jan.1947 in York and included a receipt for his great coat, I guess the boys could carry on home in the cold!
HERB
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thomo
Barlick Born Old Salt
2021 Posts
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Posted - 23/01/2009 : 15:51
Hi Herb, got it one. The "brothers" certainly seems to have the upper hand when it comes to their own interests. They have "Anger" off to a fine art and manage to use the UK as a giant soap box whilst managing to make little imput. I had better shut up I think, there are few things that can kill a topic quicker than that subject. Little doubt that by the time evryone wakes up, it will be too damn late.
thomo |
Tizer
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Posted - 23/01/2009 : 16:15
Around 1970 I hitchhiked all over Europe with a Union flag picture on my rucksack. I always got lifts before the other hitchers. The Germans were especially generous. Nobody ever made a rude comment about the flag or showed any antagonism. I'm not sure the flag would be so helpful now, unfortunately!
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thomo
Barlick Born Old Salt
2021 Posts
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Posted - 23/01/2009 : 17:26
I always found the uniform to be very useful particularly when overseas, it could get you into a lot of places where others could not go. However, a couple of occasions come to mind that were to say the least different. In Capetown along with my "oppo" we went into a big hotel one evening, bear in mind that this was 1974 and things were a bit different then in South Africa. We sat down and were made very welcome by others all around us, the waiter (IC3) came over and we ordered beers, he returned without said items and explained regretfully that we could not be served as we were servicemen in uniform. Our new friends were deeply offended by this and requested the presence of the manager who on arrival explained that it was hotel policy not to serve their military in the hotel and that there was a bar next door where we would be accomodated. There was indeed, and we had seen it, spit and sawdust. Our new friends made the point that we were not SA Servicemen and were indeed visitors to their country. But he wouldnt budge, so all that were now gathered told him that they would all leave if we had to go. At this he had a change of heart and asked if any of them would stand surety for our behaviour. amongst these people was a Honeymoon couple who were residents and they agreed to his request. After the bar closed we sent several hours drinking champagne with this couple in their room and upon leaving were thanked by the manager for our impecable behaviour and told we could return any time we wished. The second occasion was at the Caribe Hiton Hotel in San Juan Poerto Rico. Fully kitted out in best whites after just attending Ceremonial Divisions on the ship I was enjoying a cold beer at the pool bar, I was joined by a number of off watch GI Sailors, the barman refused to serve them and when they queried why I was drinking and they could not were told "He is correctly dressed, you are are'nt" On Merseyside in 1976 I was MEOW to two ships being built at Lairds, In the evenings I would dine at my lodgings then go ashore to meet my "oppo's" I always dropped into a local pub in Rock Ferry before going into town. The pub was always quiet at this time apart from a chap sat at the bar reading his paper. He told me that he worked in Lairds as a boilermaker and that he could get us tickets for some of the better known clubs in the area, (Digby's, She etc) the following night he gave me a pile of these tickets, and the day after we decided to make night of it and fully kitted out off we went. At every one we were refused entry because we were servicemen and so we finished up in regular haunt in Birkenhead. The following evening, he is sat at the bar again reading his paper, I didnt tell him what had happened and then he started asking the sort of questions that anyone working in Lairds would have known the answers to, and his hands were more in keeping with those of a typist than a boilermaker. The next day I had a word with our security officer and I never saw him again. AllI know is that it was goodbye "comrade", sort of "beware of reds bearing gifts". Time for a "wet" now, chat again later.
thomo |
frankwilk
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Posted - 23/01/2009 : 20:22
" On Merseyside in 1976 I was MEOW to two ships being built at Lairds. "
All that can be said about the above post
Is That I was in when they Need Them, not when they were just
Feeding Them.. How did you manage a draft like that Thomo
Frank Wilkinson Once Navy Always Navy |
HerbSG
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Posted - 23/01/2009 : 23:27
Friend of mine was en route to Korea in the Canadian Navy, a stop on route in Hawaii, a visit to the royal Hawaiin was greeted by sorry you are not dressed properly (in full dress whites) the result was unfortunate, but it probably took a few days to put the royal back in shape.
HERB
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frankwilk
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Posted - 24/01/2009 : 08:36
Anyone remember the Long Bar in the Prince Regent in Guzz ??? Young Jack from Raleigh and Fisguard in Rig. It was the only way allowed out for a run ashore in the 60s
Frank Wilkinson Once Navy Always Navy |
thomo
Barlick Born Old Salt
2021 Posts
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Posted - 24/01/2009 : 08:54
I didnt manage it Frank, it was my first shore draft other than training after over four years at sea, it was for six months only then I was back to sea on a type 12 to prepare me for Mechs course.
thomo |
frankwilk
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Posted - 24/01/2009 : 09:27
Only Joking Thomo
What number MTC course was you on ?/? Do you remember the Grange at Sultan ??
Frank Wilkinson Once Navy Always Navy |
thomo
Barlick Born Old Salt
2021 Posts
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Posted - 24/01/2009 : 10:39
No offence taken Frank. 143 MTC it was, and yes I do remember Fort Grange. For a short while I was the CBMs assistant and that was my place of duty. CBM was Lt Cdr Pape. Did you ever come across this Engineer Officer, Cdr Gray Richards OBE, he was senior EO on Intrepid which was my last ship, also at one time British Naval attache in Italy. We remained friends after my discharge and I used to look after his family home on Anglesey, Bull Bay. Other EOs that I remember were, Cdr Hall, Lt Cdr Verner- Jeffries and Lt Parr-Burnham who was my first Div Officer at Sultan. Later I came accross him again as he was EO on aforementioned Type12.
thomo |
Zeke
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Posted - 26/01/2009 : 23:40
quote:
thomo wrote:
A good read about this episode is "Edge of the sword" by General Sir Anthony Farrar-Hockley, at that time Adjutant with the Gloucesters. I am sorry to see Zeke that your topic has got off to a slow start and I will add my bit later. At the moment something that really rattles me has just cropped up in the news again, the issue of whether or not our service personel should wear or not wear their uniforms in public. Apparently RAF personel from Wittering were stopped from going into Peterborough in rig as it offended a few of the natives, this has just today been overturned I am pleased to say. Another recent episode was nearer to home at Manchester airport where troops arriving back from Afwotsit had to change into civies before they could enter the arrivals lounge. Then I must confess that last time I was at that airport it was more like one half a world away I recall coming home on leave once and missing both last train and bus at Manchester, I set off to walk hoping for a lift, I had my Naval cap on the outside of my grip and in Salford was picked up by a young couple from Burnley whe did not just take me there, they brought me all the way home and it was the cap that did it..
Thomo, thanks. Enjoyed reading your reply. I'll try to outline my reply briefly as possible. I gave some though to writing a book in the past, but have given up on the idea. Perhaps the urge to do so will come back some day.
I remember as if it were only yesterday when the big freedom bird that brough us home left Vietnamese airspace. As soon as those wheels were off the ground, man, the entire plane just erupted...everyone started cheering and screaming and hugging each other. I knew I was finally on my way home. In a way it was relief and in another way I looked back and said to myself, that was something I'll probably never, ever experience again.
As our plane winged westward, we crossed an invisible boundary far more real than the international date line. We exited a strange world of fear into a land free of booby traps and ambushes, a world where one can once again sleep securely.
On our way home our plane made two stops for refueling purposes. First stop was at Yokota Air Base, Japan...the second stop was in Anchorage, Alaska. Before the final decent into American airspace, pandemonium erupted when the landing gear touched down on American soil on Travis Air Base, California., USA.
I can write you volumes about my experience just coming home from Vietnam, but it would take too much time, and surely would bore some of you. Thanks again.
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Military Service
